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Fresno, Modesto

One member’s story of hope

After a day doing heavy yard work in February 2009, Alana Korerat lay down to rest. But she suddenly knew that something wasn’t right. It wasn’t her sore back or knees that was bothering her. It was a small lump in her breast.

She called a Kaiser Permanente advice nurse who made an appointment for Korerat with her primary care physician. At the appointment, a mammogram was scheduled right away. Test results showed she had breast cancer.

“It was a shock. I never thought I’d have cancer,” says Korerat. “Little did I know that would be one of the last times I would be scared about it.”

“They talked to me, provided literature, told me what classes I could take, and even gave me a CD to listen to before my surgery that walked me through everything that was going to happen.”

Today, Alana’s road to recovery is going well. Having just finished radiation, her strength and energy continue to build. And she has something important she wants to do when she gets back to full strength.

“Everything given to me was so great, and I want to give back,” says Korerat. “I intend to volunteer at Kaiser Permanente so I can reach out and help people the same way I was helped. Everyone there always had a smile; I never felt alone.”

Walk-ins welcome for mammograms

Kaiser Permanente makes it easy for women in the Central Valley to find time for a mammogram.

“Since the end of last year we’ve been providing walk-in mammograms for members,” says Amanda Reeve, MD, Ob/Gyn. “You don’t need to call or schedule ahead, and it’s our goal to take our patients back to get their mammogram within 15 to 30 minutes.”

Walk-in mammograms can even be done while you wait for other appointments. “If you’re already going to a facility, it’s a great opportunity to get another thing done and out of the way while you’re there,” says Dr. Reeve.

We recommend that women 40 and older get a mammogram every one to two years.